Arsenal target Sami Khedira blows rings around Jack Wilshere

JACK WILSHERE has risked upsetting Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, after again being snapped smoking a cigarette.

Sami Khedira has reportedly agreed a £152,000 a week deal with Arsenal

The timing is not great, with Arsenal closing in on a £23.8million deal for Real Madrid's Sami Khedira, a box-to-box midfielder who will put Wilshere's place in the first team under real threat.

Chelsea are also keen on Khedira, who helped Real to Champions League success last season, but reports in Spain say the Germany international, who was hugely unfortunate to miss the World Cup final after pulling a calf in the warm-up, has already agreed a four-year deal at the Emirates worth £152,000 a week.

Khedira arrives back in Berlin today with the rest of the Germany World Cup squad for a presentation in front of half-a-million fans. He is close friends with Arsenal's Mesut Ozil and that is understood to have played a part in his decision to favour the Gunners, who also have World Cup winners Per Mertesacker and Lukas Podolski in their ranks.

The Arsenal trio will now take a three-week break before returning for pre-season training. Khedira will also have three weeks down time but wants his future sorted before going on holiday.

He has only a year left on his contract at Madrid and does not want to renew, partly due to the fact that Germany team-mate Toni Kroos is set to join Real from Bayern Munich in a £20m deal, throwing into doubt the 27-year-old's future at the Bernabeu - in much the same way his proposed arrival would have on the central midfielders at Arsenal, including Wilshere.

Getting photographed a second time with a cigarette in his mouth, this time on a holiday in Las Vegas, is not the wisest move by Wilshere.

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Jack Wilshere has been photographed smoking once again

In October last year, the 22-year-old was photographed smoking outside a London nightclub leaving Wenger non-plussed. "I disagree completely with that behaviour," said the manager. "When you are a football player you are an example and you don't do what damages your health.

"You can damage your health at home - you can smoke at home and you can drink at home and nobody sees it. But when you go out socially you also damage your reputation as an example."

Wilshere responded with an apology and a goal in his next game.

He said at the time: "I made a mistake. Players make mistakes. I am not a smoker, so I think that will be my last one."

The new-look Arsenal is starting to take shape with Arsenal moving early to make a landmark signing with the £31.7m transfer of Alexis Sanchez from Barcelona.

They are also set to announce the £12m capture of Mathieu Debuchy from Newcastle and make a £3m offer to Nice for Colombia goalkeeper David Ospina. Al Ahly's Egypt international centre-back Ahmed Fathi is also having a trial.

Sanchez's arrival has left the Arsenal squad "buzzing" ahead of the new campaign, according to defender Carl Jenkinson.

"He is world class and they are the sort of players you want to see at the club," said Jenkinson. "The squad are buzzing as much as the fans, because if you are going to push on as a club and really compete for things, you need to sign top players.

"We have done that with him for sure - it is a fantastic addition. He's quick and direct, he can play up front and on the wing, and he is very dynamic. He will definitely fit the Arsenal style of play.

Once you have got one [trophy], you want to experience it again, so fingers crossed we can compete on all fronts this season

Carl Jenkinson

"Once you have got one [trophy], you want to experience it again, so fingers crossed we can compete on all fronts this season.

"We have the squad and we are signing players like Sanchez, so I don't see why we can't."

Former Arsenal striker Alan Smith says it is vital Arsenal prove themselves early in the season against big rivals if they are to be taken seriously.

Heavy defeats at Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and Everton cost them dearly last season and Smith says a repeat is unthinkable.

They face Everton, Manchester City, Tottenham and Chelsea in their opening seven games and Smith said: "It was those matches where they came undone and came undone quite badly.

"You think of the defeat at Stamford Bridge and Arsenal are facing Chelsea at Chelsea before the end of November. Arsenal fans will be looking at those kinds of matches.

"They entertain Louis van Gaal's Manchester United at the Emirates as well, so in order for Arsenal to be proper challengers they have got to do better against those title challengers.